RIP Fab Melo.

[NYCSUGrad]

Rest in peace big fella. We Syracuse fans remember you fondly. Someone else who probably remembers you is Herb Pope. I'll never forget what you did to him for an entire game; dude couldn't get a shot off. Wish you didn't have to go so soon--that you could have lived longer and come back later in a better time like so many other wayward Syracuse sons.

Now I have to post this

Take out the tissues, maybe two packs worth!

 

[NYCSUGrad]

Woke up to this on the cover of Yahoo this morning, and I just stared in disbelief. I am speechless and sad. As a parent who has lost a child my heart goes out to the mother to have to find him that way. RIP Fab

So sorry to hear that. Nothing else to say I fear.

 

[NYCSUGrad]

UCONN/ Kentucky/ other boards very respectful to Fab! Appreciate that. Rest in Peace Fab. Thank you!

The no personal attacks on other posters you responded to makes me very glad I came here a few days late.

May I respectfully suggest we ALL, including me, listen to the coaches before we vent

Not even just JB but Coaches Hop and Red and GMac and Devo etc.

 

[elimunelson]

Syracuse alum apologizes for remarks critical of Fab Melo after his death

 

[iommi]

I haven't had good success in this thread *cough cough*. However, I want to tribute Fab Melo(no not that way), with a song fitting for all of us who are misunderstood by a decent enough segment. Feel free to clone your tab and let this play in the background as you continue your perusal of the board. You know you want to, folks, it's Pink Floyd!

SHINE ON, Fab Melo. Some of us never turned our backs on you, NEVER. May something on campus be (re)named in your honor, and let the university save a little face from this terrible disgrace. I'm really biting my tongue and clenching my fists hard right now, and I hope those in the know can respect that. Some of us take this harder than others, and the affronts as well.

Fab was clearly, "caught in the crossfire of childhood and stardom."

 

[IthacaMatt]

Shame on you, Mike, whatever handle you post under, for your article today.
This is supposed to be an anonymous board. Just because you know who someone is doesn't mean they should be publicly pilloried for an honest opinion, especially someone who has done so much for so many.

 

[elimunelson]

Shame on you, Mike, whatever handle you post under, for your article today.
This is supposed to be an anonymous board. Just because you know who someone is doesn't mean they should be publicly pilloried for an honest opinion, especially someone who has done so much for so many.

I've been on the board on and off since 2003 and it's a widely known who is who in some instances. If you post online, be prepared for your writings to be made public. Having said that, who cares what one's opinion is of anything.

I respect everyone's opinion since we're talking about college kids playing sports. It's not that important in the grand scheme of things. We should be able to agree to disagree and move on. People are bananas around here sometimes.

 

[br801]

Shame on you, Mike, whatever handle you post under, for your article today.
This is supposed to be an anonymous board. Just because you know who someone is doesn't mean they should be publicly pilloried for an honest opinion, especially someone who has done so much for so many.

FYI, that story, with name attached (as well as screenshots of posts from this site), was already out there on at least one other website. The horse, as they say, was already out of the barn.

 

[Eric15]

This is supposed to be an anonymous board.

Every poster on the board who has been here for more than a week knows who CTO is. She's the closest thing we have to a celebrity. I mean, her picture is in her avatar.

 

[orangefog]

Every poster on the board who has been here for more than a week knows who CTO is. She's the closest thing we have to a celebrity. I mean, her picture is in her avatar.

And they also know that she is far from cold and uncaring. I have never met her, but from reading her posts over the years, she is very generous to many causes as well as individuals.

 

[Eric15]

And they also know that she is far from cold and uncaring. I have never met her, but from reading her posts over the years, she is very generous to many causes as well as individuals.

Agreed. Which is why I think people were so confused by what transpired.

 

[orange2win]

A memorial string should emphasize the positive memories of the departed and Fab was such a wonderful kid. An honor for SU to have on the team.

Still, I cannot help but ponder if things would have worked out better for him if he had gone as was expected to Louisville.

 

[Dcuse]

A memorial string should emphasize the positive memories of the departed and Fab was such a wonderful kid. An honor for SU to have on the team.

Still, I cannot help but ponder if things would have worked out better for him if he had gone as was expected to Louisville.

Hope I am misunderstanding. Are you saying it would have worked out better if he had gone to squeaky clean Rick Pitino?

 

[EastCoast2]

A memorial string should emphasize the positive memories of the departed and Fab was such a wonderful kid. An honor for SU to have on the team.

Still, I cannot help but ponder if things would have worked out better for him if he had gone as was expected to Louisville.

UL got Dieng as a consolation, who only helped them win that title in 2013 and is carving a successful career for himself in the NBA. I don't know if anything ends up different if Fab goes to UL. Look at his improvements while at SU. That was a function of the coaching staff and team around him from spring 2011 - spring 2012, when he made those incredible leaps in his skill and conditioning. Fab's problem was he missed home, missed family, and maybe just wasn't "born a basketball player". He was a damn good one, however.

 

[Bill Orange]

Shame on you, Mike, whatever handle you post under, for your article today.
This is supposed to be an anonymous board. Just because you know who someone is doesn't mean they should be publicly pilloried for an honest opinion, especially someone who has done so much for so many.

If you had bothered to read the comments on Mike's piece, you will see that Joyce approached Mike to apologize. He had to run the story, as any good journalist would.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Don't remember seeing this stated elsewhere in the thread, but just wanted to throw in my two cents about how much I loved the Scoop to Fab Melo alley oop play they worked out so well.

RIP Fab.

 

[JoeySimz]

Don't remember seeing this stated elsewhere in the thread, but just wanted to throw in my two cents about how much I loved the Scoop to Fab Melo alley oop play they worked out so well.

RIP Fab.

Man, those two were great together!

 

[orange2win]

UL got Dieng as a consolation, who only helped them win that title in 2013 and is carving a successful career for himself in the NBA. I don't know if anything ends up different if Fab goes to UL. Look at his improvements while at SU. That was a function of the coaching staff and team around him from spring 2011 - spring 2012, when he made those incredible leaps in his skill and conditioning. Fab's problem was he missed home, missed family, and maybe just wasn't "born a basketball player". He was a damn good one, however.

You may be right. I certainly hope so. However in my view, we have a poor track record at SU in developing centers, but that's a discussion for another day and another string.

 

[721Comstock]

You may be right. I certainly hope so. However in my view, we have a poor track record at SU in developing centers, but that's a discussion for another day and another string.

Rony Seikaly, Etan Thomas, and Rak Christmas would all beg to differ.
And Fab too, were he here and able to do so.

 

[CuseLegacy]

 

[two3zone]

Rony Seikaly, Etan Thomas, and Rak Christmas would all beg to differ.
And Fab too, were he here and able to do so.

One a decade or less? Anybody in the 90s? Debatable if you can add Rak, was a top recruit coming in and a McDonald's All American.

 

[BonaCuse]

One a decade or less? Anybody in the 90s? Debatable if you can add Rak, was a top recruit coming in and a McDonald's All American.

I don't have a dog in this fight, but if you are throwing out Rak because he was a top recruit coming in and a McDonald's All American; isn't the same true for Fab?

 

[ssbriefcase]

One a decade or less? Anybody in the 90s? Debatable if you can add Rak, was a top recruit coming in and a McDonald's All American.

So on the flip side, if somebody doesn't develop, say Chase Jeter, then that's on the staff?
Apologize to take away from the thread. RIP Fab. Loved watching you play and loved your joy and smile

 

[two3zone]

So on the flip side, if somebody doesn't develop, say Chase Jeter, then that's on the staff?
Apologize to take away from the thread. RIP Fab. Loved watching you play and loved your joy and smile

When it comes to development or lack of development I think it's unfair to put 100% on a guy or a staff in either direction.

 

[br801]

When it comes to development or lack of development I think it's unfair to put 100% on a guy or a staff in either direction.

Around here, we usually like to credit a player's natural ability when our big men develop, and blame the coaching staff when they do not.